Stop The Earth, I Want To Get Off!

release description

Zeb is a modern day troubadour, soaking in the music and culture of places he travels to. He was born in Italy to Italian gypsy parents and just like his nomadic people, he traveled often and immersed himself into music by picking up the guitar at age 10. In the 80s, he played in various bands in London that were heavily influenced by new wave, roots/reggae and funk/rock. But it was really once he settled in New York that he found his true calling, helping jump-start the now-defunct legendary party Organic Grooves with his partner Sasha Crnobrnja in 1993. As a successful artist and producer, he has been a key contributor to Irma Records, Codek Records, Rhythm Love and Stoned Asia (check his album under the alias The Spy From Cairo). It was only a matter of time before the world caught up to his talents and he was commissioned to remix the likes of Kruder & Dorfmeister, Astor Piazzolla and Billie Holiday.

'Stop the Earth, I Want to Get Off!' is Zeb's third album, where he perfects the formula for the global-dub-funk movement incorporating Eastern sounds, afro-disco, bossa and Arabic samples into his music. From the beautiful oud-driven album opener "Monia," to the funky afrobeat sounds of "Revolutionary Dreams," and the Brazilian influenced "Para Fugir" and "Preto," the album is the product of a one man-band, who not only plays guitar, bass, oud and keys, but also produces, arranges, programs and mixes all of it. The sampling snippets of old records are sprinkled throughout the album, and are especially front and center on "Bauls of New York," which samples an obscure Bengali record. The disc is a melting pot of a party that inspires frenzied dancing and respectfully mixes disparate musical soundscapes. So while fans of Thievery Corporation, King Tubby and the Buddha Bar series will certainly cherish these gems, there is so much more to discover here for new fans.

"This album is so deep and well thought out. It really represents all his inspirations as a producer." — Turntable Lab

"His display of fury and softness in his persona translates to some of life's greatest paradoxes: the ability to pull from light and darkness and, most importantly, understand that all of existence is a play of opposing forces that dance in harmony. Stop the Earth, but donË†t let him off quite yet. His work has just started." — Derek Beres (Global Beat Fusion)